Cartridge belt reel and bracket therefor



Max 27, 1945. IRONS); v 2,372A24 CARTRIDGE BELT REEL AND BRACKET THEREFOR Filed Sept. 3, 1942 Jhvsntar gi fisazyeflansjde @tarngy Patented Mar. 27, 1945 CARTRIDGE BELT REEL AND BRACKET THEREFOR George Ironside, Hartford, Conn., assignor to Colts Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, Hartford, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application September 3, 1942 Serial No. 457,169

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a storage means for a cartridge belt and comprises a reel and supporting bracket for the reel, the latter being adapted to be mounted on a supporting surface.

The reel is of a type adapted to be mounted on a magazine structure for an automatic firearm and, more particularly on magazines of firearms mounted .in tanks, airplanes, armored cars, and other similar vehicles in which machine guns are mounted.

In view of the rapid rate at which cartridges are consumed by a machine gun, an average size single cartridge belt lasts but a small fraction of a minute if the firearm is continuously fired until the entire belt of ammunition is totally consumed. Accordingly, in order to supply the firearm or gun with cartridges sufilcient for a combat lasting an appreciable length of time, it is necessary to provide a number of extra reels of cartridges mounted in convenient proximity to the gun in order that the gunner may quickly remove the empty reel from the the gun and replace it with a reel containing a full belt of cartridges.

The storage of such reels in vehicles such as tanks and the like described above, presents a problem as to how ,to store the reels in such manner that the belts will not become unwound from the reels particularlysince the most advantageous way of mounting the reels for storage purposes consists of placing the reels on a projecting pintle which extends through the hub aperture of the reel. Such pintles are preferably cylindrical in shape and, when the free outer end of a cartridge belt coiled on the reel is permitted to extend downward any appreciable distance, the depending weight is frequently sufficient tocause the belt to completely unwind from the reel.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide supporting means for mounting reels in storage positionon the walls oi tanks and the like, the means being adapted to support the reels thereon in such manner that they will not rotate with respect thereto.

It is another object of the invention to also provide means for preventing the free movement of the outer end of the cartridge belt with respect to the reel on which it is coiled when the reel is mounted .in storage position on said supporting means.

Other objects and details of the invention are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing shows the embodibeing mounted on a support secured to a frag ment of a supporting surface. I Fig. 2 shows a sectional side elevation of the supporting means and reel, the reel being in an intermediate position on the support.

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation similar to Fig. 2 but shows the reel mounted on the support in storage position.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a detail of the in vention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line 55 of Fig. l and illustrates another detail of the invention.

The foregoing objects are attained by providing positioning means having coengaging portions respectively disposed on the supporting means and the reel, said portions being placed in regise try with each other when the reel is fully mounted on the supporting means in storage position. Releasable locking means are also provided on the supporting means to retain the reel thereon in storage position and also to maintain the coengaging portions of the positioning means in registry with each other. The construction of the positioning means is such that upon the placing of the reel on the supporting means, the reel may be moved onto the supporting means until the locking means engages the reel to normally prevent removal therefrom, following which the reel may be rotated in either direction until a snapacting finger included in the positioning means and mounted on the support comes into registry with a notch provided on the outer surface of. each flange of the reel, thus preventing further movement of the reel with respect to the support ner end of the .belt and the hub. The position of the holding means on the hub is in definite relationship with respect to the notches on the flanges of the reel, whereby when the component parts of the positioning means on the reel and support are in registry, the outer end of the cartridge belt coiled on the reel will always extend downward from the reel approximately the same amount.

A plurality of hook-like belt securing means are also provided on the supporting surface to which the support is secured, said hook-like means being disposed below and respectively on opposite sides of the support. Inasmuch as the reel is provided with a notch opening outward from the outer surface of each of the flanges, the reel may be mounted on the support with either end of the hub first engaging said support and, since hook-like means are disposed at either side of the support for engaging the free end of the belt, the grommet conventionally provided at the outer free end of the belt'may be engaged with the hook-like member On the side of the support from which the free end normally depends and thus secure the free outer end of the belt against jostling and moving around inan undesirable manner, regardless of which end of the reel is first mounted on the support.

When it is desired to remove a reel from the support, it is only necessary to release the looking means for the reel and remove the free end of the belt from the hook-like means, follo-wing which the reel may be readily removed from the support in an axial direction.

Referring to the drawing, the side IU of a tank, airplane or other similar vehicle, in which machine guns are mounted and extra cartridge belts are to be stored, is shown as forming a supporting surface to which the reel supportingmeans is attached. Said supporting means comprises a base 12 which is preferably plate-like and provided with a plurality of suitable apertures 14 adapted to receive rivets is or other securin means by which the base I2 is secured to the supporting surface In. Preferably, the apertures in the base I2 are countersunk from one end in order that the surfaces of the rivets exposed on the outer surface of the base may be flush therewith.

A pintle l8, which is preferably cylindrical, is secured at one end to one face of the plate-like base 12 in any suitable manner such as peening the end of the pintle with respect to the base for uniting the same.

One element of a reel positioning means comprising a resilient finger is preferably integrally formed on one side of the base l2 and is illustrated in Figs. 1 through 3 as extending upward from said base. The upper portion of the finger 20 is also preferably offset away from the supporting surface [0 as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the offset being for purposes to be described.

The pintel I8 is provided with a longitudinally extending spline 22 which tapers toward the axis of the pintle from the base end of the pintle towards the free end thereof as shown in Fi 2. A releasable locking detent 24 provided on the outer end of a leaf springmember 26 is mounted in the spline, the leaf spring being secured to the pintle adjacent the base end thereof by screws 28 as] shown in Fig. 2 or by any other suitable means. The spring 26 normally maintains the projecting portion of the detent 24 above the peripheral surface of the pintle.

A cartridge belt reel 30 comprises a pair of spaced side flanges 32 and 34, which are preferably formed of sheet metal and each are pref erably circular in contour. The outer edges of the flanges are also preferably formed with annular flanges 36 and 38 which extend at a substantial angle from the plane of each side flange to provide rigidity therefor. The side flanges 32 and 34 are joined to a cylindrical hub 40 which has a cylindrical aperture 42 extending longitudinally therethrough, the aperture being adapted to receive the pintle I8. The flanges 32 and 34 are respectively secured to opposite ends of the hub 40 in any suitable way such as by peening the ends of the hub over the respective flanges so as to be non-rotatable with respect thereto.

The hub 40 is provided with spaced inward extending threaded apertures disposed in a line parallel to the axis of the hub, the apertures each receiving threaded pins 44 which project radial- 1y from the hub a short distance to provide holding means for the inner end of the cartridge belt."

As shown in Fig. 1 the pins 44 are adapted to extend between the last two cartridges mounted on the innermost end of the cartridge belt when the belt is coiled around the reel, the last cartridge being indicated 46 and the penultimate cartridge being indicated 48 in Fi 1. The cartridge belt 50, which may be of fabric as illustrated in Fig. 1 or composed of articulated links, not illustrated, is adapted to be disposed in the space between the pins 44 when starting to coil the belt around the reel, the spacing of the pins being such as to permit .such disposition of the belt. After the belt is coiled around the hub, a sufficient number of turns to prevent the removal of the innermost end thereof, it will be seen that the holding means comprising pins 44 prevent relative movement between the inner end of the belt and the hub.

For purposes of this description, the cartridge belt, when referred to as such, may be considered to be loaded or filled with cartridges 52 and, when it is stated in the accompanying claims that the holding means or pins 44 engage the belt, the term belt is not necessarily to be restricted'to the belt per se but also may include the cartridges 52 mounted therein, particularly since the pins 44 actually engage the cartridges 46 and 48 as described in the foregoing. In other words, the term cartridge belt may be given sufficiently broad interpretation to also include a cartridge belt assembly including both the belt and cartridges.

Each of the flanges 32 and 34 are provided with a pair of spaced ears 54 and 56 which are stamped from the material of the flange and are therefore integral therewith. The spaced free ends of the ears are also spaced outward from the surface of the flange to provide a notch 58 between said opposing ends, said notch comprising part of the reel positioning means and adapted to receive the outer end of the finger 20 when the reel is mounted on the pintle [8 in storage position indicated in Fig. 3. Inasmuch as the ears 54 and 56 are angularly disposed with respect to the plane of the flange 34 as indicated in Fig. 5, they respectively comprise cam surfaces disposed on either side of the notch 58, whereby when the reel is fully mounted on the pintle l8 and the finger 20 is not in engagement with the notch 58 the reel may be rotated in whichever direction is necessary in order to cause the finger to slide over one Or the other cam surfaces of the cars 54 and 56 and finally snap into the notch 58. It will thus be seen that it is not necessary to accurately position the notch 58 of the reel with respect tothe finger 20 while inserting the reel on the pintle since the rotation of the reel just de-' scribed will serve to finally position the finger 20 within thenotch .58. The snap engagement between the finger 20 and .notch 58 .is aflordedlby reasonof the resilient nature of the finger 2B and since the outer end of the finger is offset away from the supportingv surface Hi, engagement of the finger. with the notch'53 is assured.

When the reel has been fully mounted on the pintle !8 the locking detent 28 will snap upward and engage the outer surface of the outermost flan e and the outermost end of the hub of the reel to normally retain the reel against removal from the pintle. The retaining of the reel on the pintle will coincidentally retain the component parts of the positioning means, comprising finger 2B and notch 58, in co-engagement. The reel may be quickly removed from the pintle by the operator pressing the .detent 2t downward into the spline 22 and moving the reel longitudinally of the pintle, away from the base I2.

The position of the 'pins 44 comprising the holding means for the inner end of the belt is in definite predetermined relationship with respect to the notch 58' on each flange. As shown in Fig. l, the centers of the pins and notches are on the same radial line projecting from the central axis of the hub. The definite relationship of, the positions of the pins and notches illustrated in Fig. 1 is not to be considered restrictive since it will be understood that other definite relations may be provided within the spirit of the present invention, such as by placing the pins around the hub 180 from their present position. i

The purpose of the specific and definite relationship between the positions of the pins or holding means 45 and the positioning means or notches 58 is so that the outer end of the cartridge belt will always extend a definite amount from the loaded reel when the reel is mounted with the positioning means 2i! and 58 in coengagement. This is in order that the .free end of the belt may engage a belt securing means illustrated in the nature of a hook-like member 60 in Figs. 1 and The hook-like member is not to be considered restrictive since the same is particularly adapted for use with the grommeted and apertured end 62 of a conventional fabric cartridge belt. In the case of articulated link metallic belts, other end structures may be provided requiring a different type of belt securing means on the surface l0. Such securing means however would still be used for the same purpose as those illustrated in the present drawing and the spirit of the present invention would apply thereto as well as to the illustrated securing means.

It will be noted that two belt securing means 60 are provided, respectively disposed equal distances from and at opposite sides of a line pass ing through the centers of the notches 58 and pins 4 when one of the notches engages the finger 20. The securing means 60 are also disposed equal distances from the axis of the pintle 18. whereby it is immaterial which end of the reel is first mounted on the pintle I8 since both flanges are provided with notches 58 for engagement with the finger 2!] and, if the outer end of the belt depends from either the left side or the right side of the reel when in storage position, the left hand or right hand securin means 60 is in proper position to engage the outer end of the belt and secure it against movement. It will be seen that were the securing means 60 not provided, the outer end of the belt could move around in an undesirable manner due to the jostling of the vehicle in travel, and possibly even be jostled to the extent of causing one or more complete :revo- .lution's of the cartridge belt being uncoiled from the'reel.

It will thus be seen that the present invention providesa storagemeans for mounting additional belts of cartridges within tanks, airplanes and other similar vehicles in such'a manner that the reels on which the cartridge belts are coiled will be retained by positioning. means against rotation on the supporting structurawhereby the free or outer end of th cartridge belt may not move around in an undesirable manner so as to possibly cause unwinding of "the belt from the reel were the reel not restrained from rotation with respect to the pintle on which it is mounted. Additional means are also provided to prevent any appreciable movement of said outer end of the belt with respect to the wall or surface on which the rim is mounted, whereby no accidental uncoiling of the last convolution or so of the belt may occur due to jostling of thetank or the like. The mounting means for the reel and belt is also such that the .reel may be quickly mounted on the pintle and the locking detent may engage the outer end of the reel to secure the reel 'on the supporting structure. removed from the supporting structure with equal facility.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferred embodiment and has included certain details, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. Storage means for a cartridge belt comprising in combination, a reel having spaced side flanges joined by an apertured hub and around which the belt is adapted to be coiled, one of said flanges being provided on its outer surface with a notch extending inward and the portions of said flange at opposite sides of said notch comprising cam surfaces respectively merging at one end with said outer surface of said flange and terminating at the other end at one side of said notch, supporting means for said reel adapted to be attachedto a supporting surface and including a pintle adapted to be disposed within.

the aperture of: the hub of said reel and thereby support the reel, positioning means for said reel comprising a spring finger carried by and projecting radially from said supporting means, said- Spring finger being adapted for sliding engagement with either of said cam surfaces and snapengagement with the notch of said flange upon movement of the reel in either rotary direction on the pintle, and releasable locking means mounted on said supporting means and engageable with said reel to normally prevent removal of the reel from the pintle and maintain the spring finger within the notch.

2. Storage means for a cartridge belt comprising in combination, a reel having spaced side flanges joined by an apertured hub and around which the belt is adapted to be coiled; one of said flanges having a pair of relatively spaced ears each struck outward at one end from and integral at the other end with said flange to provide between the free ends of the ears a notch and the outer surfaces of said ears each comprising a cam surface, supporting means for said reel adapted to be attached to a supporting surface and including a pintle adapted to be disposed within the aperture of the hub of said reel and The reel and belt may be thereby support the reel,'positioning means for said reel comprising a spring finger carried by and projecting radially from said supporting means, said spring finger being adapted for sliding engagement with either of said cam surfaces and snap-engagement with the notch of said flange upon movement of the reel in either rotary direction on the pintle, and releasable looking means mounted on said supporting means and engageable with said reel to normally prevent removal of the reel from the pintle and maintain the finger within the notch.

3. Storage means for a cartridge belt comprising in combination, a reel having spaced side flanges joined by an apertured hub and around which the belt is adapted to be coiled, holding means on the reel adapted to engage the innermost end of the belt when coiled on the reel to maintain said end of the belt against relative movement with respect to the reel, supporting means for said reel adapted to be attached to a supporting surface and including a pintle adapted to have the hub of said reel mounted thereon, positioning means having coengageable portions respectively disposed on said supporting means and reel to prevent relative rotation between the reel and pintle when the reel is mounted on said supporting means, the portion of the positioning means disposed on the reel being in fixed relationship to the belt holding means thereon, and belt securing means also adapted to be mounted on said supporting surface at a fixed position with respect to the supporting means and adapted to engage the outer end of the belt when the same is coiled on the reel to secure said outer end of the belt against appreciable movement with respect to said reel and supporting means.

1. Storage means for a cartridge belt comprising in combination, a reel having spaced side flanges joined by an apertured hub and around which the belt is adapted to be coiled, holding means on the reel adapted to engage the innermost end of the belt when coiled on the reel to maintain said end of the belt against relative movement with respect to the reel, supporting means for said reel adapted to be attached to a supporting surface and including a pintle adapted to have the hub of said reel mounted thereon, positioning means having coengageable portions respectively disposed on said supporting means and reel to prevent relative rotation between the reel and pintle when the reel is mounted on said supporting means, the portion of the positioning means disposed on the reel being in fixed relationship to the belt holding means thereon, and a plurality of belt securing means also adapted to be mounted on said supporting surface in fixed positions with respect to the supporting means, said positions respectively being on opposite sides of a line extending through said pintle and said locking means, whereby one of said belt securing means is adapted to engage the outer end of the belt when the same is coiled on the reel and regardless of which direction the belt is coiled thereon to secure said outer end of the belt against appreciable movement with respect to said reel and supporting means.

5. A cartridge belt reel comprising in combination, a pair of spaced side flanges joined by a hub, positioning means on one flange adapted to engage with positioning means on a reel supporting structure to prevent rotation of the reel with respect to said supporting structure, said positioning means comprising a notch formed on the outer surface of said flange and an outward projecting cam surface adjacent one side of said notch, and a pin projecting outward from said hub and adapted to engage the inner end of a cartridge belt when coiled about said reel, said pin being disposed on said hub in predetermined relationship with respect to the notch on the flange and adapted to prevent rotation of the inner end of the cartridge belt with respect to said hub.

6. A cartridge belt reel comprising in combination, a pair of spaced side flanges formed of sheet-like material and joined by a hub and positioning means formed on one flange comprising a pair of spaced ears each integral with and struck out from said flange with the free ends of the ears directed toward each other and spaced from each other and the plane of said flange to provide between the free ends of the ears a space adapted to receive positioning means projecting from a supporting structure and adapted to prevent rotation of the reel with respect to the supporting structure when the reel is mounted thereon, said ears being positioned between the hub and the outer edge of the flange.

GEORGE IRONSIDE. 

